SAINTS SUFFER LOSS TO HAMILTON

IN LIBERTY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, 1-0

Nov. 3: The St. Lawrence University men’s soccer team was handed its third loss of the 2007 season and it’s second to Hamilton College after the Continentals scored the lone goal and the game-winner in the middle of the first period of the Liberty League tournament championship game. The win gives Hamilton an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Both teams have gone to each Liberty League Tournament since the league’s inception in 2004, but it is the first time since 2004 that the Continentals and the Saints have battled for the Liberty League title in the tournament. The two teams played for 110 minutes on St. Lawrence’s home turf without scoring. Hamilton took the title after a 4-3 edge in penalty kicks.

The only goal of the game came close to the 33rd minute of play, after St. Lawrence was fouled on the far side, giving Hamilton a restart. The ball was sent into the six, where there was a scramble for the ball with Saints keeper Emilio Coletta coming out of the goal to try and make the save. The ball came out and found Hamilton’s Topher Breedlove, who knocked the ball past Coletta’s reach and into the back corner of the net, giving the Continentals the lead at 31:57.

The first part of the game saw a strong Saints offense, where they were keeping the ball in Hamilton’s half of the field and consistently making attempts to get near the net. However, Hamilton’s defense was able to do a spectacular job of clearing the ball, forcing St. Lawrence to take shots from around the 18.

In what appeared to be a much more aggressive second half, St. Lawrence came out and put the pressure on, maintaining possession of the ball throughout most of the half creating a number of great opportunities, but Carello made a number of incredible saves to keep the Saints off the scoreboard. Four yellow cards were issued to players in the last 13 minutes of the game, two on each team.

First year midfielder James Stewart led the Saints with five shots, including a shot on goal in the 67 th minute that sailed just high of the crossbar. Junior forward Kiel Dwyer had three shots and two on goal, while senior back Mike Bobbie and junior midfielders Paul LaMarca and Ian Fairlie each took a shot on Carello.

The Saints, who finish the regular season with a 9-3-6 overall record, had a 21-11 shot advantage, with a number of shots were high or wide of the goal. They also held a 7-4 edge on shots on goal and a 6-5 on corners.

Coletta had three saves in the net for the Saints.

The Saints will await their post season fate as they hope for an NCAA tournament at-large bid. St. Lawrence has competed in the last nine NCAA tournaments. Selection brackets will be announced Monday morning at 11:00am by the NCAA Selection Committee.